Commission on course for ‘.eu’

Date: 13/07/2000

By Peter Chapman

EUROPEAN Commission negotiators expect to clinch provisional agreement on their bid to create an '.eu' Internet domain name this week.

The prediction came ahead of a key meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the new body set up to oversee the introduction of Internet domain names and accredit new companies from across the world which want to enter the web address business.

But they said a formal deal was unlikely to be struck until the fledgling body has developed administrative procedures for taking the decision later this year.

"We are confident," said one Commission expert, adding: "We just need a decision-making procedure and a formula that satisfies everyone that its being done on a fair and acceptable basis."

But concerns remain over whether the Commission can convince ICANN, its board and other observers that the Union deserves to be given the same status as countries and territories which already have their own top-level domain names.

"It is unusual for ICANN to give top-level domain names to someone like the EU. We are not bothered about that because in a large part of the world, the EU is a distinct entity. We are accepted as negotiators at the World Trade Organisation for example," said the official.

He also pointed out that the '.eu' domain would have at least the same, if not more, legitimacy than many others already allocated to island subdivisions of countries such as the Azores and the Isle of Man. "The governments in Europe would be surprised if the Azores and Isle of Man could have one and the EU could not. That would look very strange," he said.

The proposal would allow European-based companies, institutions or citizens to highlight their links with the whole continent in one address - such as 'EuropeanCommission.eu' - something they cannot do if they use existing country names such as .uk or the almost ubiquitous '.com.'

European Commission negotiators expect to clinch provisional agreement on their bid to create a '.eu' Internet domain name at a forthcoming meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).